The Strength Of Love
by eva.chrisovitsanousweety
Summary: They hate each other since the university! Now years later they meet again as they have to work together! Will they discover their true feelings for each other? A modern story.
1. They Meet Again

**A/N: Somehow this strange idea came to my mind not leaving me alone for one second even in my dreams. I was wondering how this could continue and the result is: this story. There will be some flashbacks that are important as we unwrap the story. I didn't want Elsie and Charles to be very old in this story, so their ages are: Elsie is 40 and Charles is 41. What life keeps in store for Elsie and Charles as they meet again? We are going to find out as we read the story. I hope you like it. **

**Disclaimer: Any situation or character that appears in Downton Abby, isn't mine. If I owned them these two would have been secretly married and Anna would probably be their daughter. **

She was sitting on her bed, that was perfectly made from herself, in her bedroom at her parents' house and looking around the room. She was scanning the whole room with her eyes as memories came back to her. She had been living in this house, in this bedroom until she graduated from the university as a lawyer. She had found a job at a very important law firm in Scotland as she was one of the best students of her year. She had felt the need then to live on her own and she had rent a small house near her parents. She didn't want to be away from her parents and her grandmother. The day she moved to her own house she had stayed in this room for almost an hour to memorize and remember everything that she had lived here.

Now here she was again in the same room memorizing and remembering everything she had lived there. Although, this time she wasn't moving to another house but she was leaving Scotland to move to London as she had gotten a job there in one of the most important law firms of London. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as a sad smile appeared on her face. She walked towards the door and after looking one last time the room, she left and went downstairs. In the sitting room her parents and grandmother were waiting her. She noticed the tears her mother and grandmother had and tried to hold back her own tears. "Oh, why do you have to make it so difficult for me by crying?", she said with a stern look that caused her father to laugh. "I'm a grown forty years old woman and here I have my mother and grandmother crying.", she couldn't stop it as it was very difficult for her to see them crying. She walked towards her grandmother first. "I will miss you very much, granny.", she hugged her tightly and felt her own tears falling.

"I'm so proud of you, my little Elisabeth.", she wiped her granddaughter's eyes with her thumbs. "Show them why they were right in hiring you to work for them.", she said to her with a grin and kissed her on the forehead.

Elsie walked towards her mother as the tears kept falling. "I'm very proud of you, lassie.", she hugged her tightly to her. "We will miss you very much but you are a grown woman.", she kissed her on the forehead.

Last she walked towards her father who was looking her with all his love for her. "You know how proud I am, my little girl. You are an excellent lawyer and you will do very well there.", he hugged her tightly to him. "Also, I hope that soon you will inform us that you are getting married with a very nice lad.", he said to his daughter with a wide smile on his face.

"Oh, Da! I doubt that very much. If I hadn't gotten married until now, I don't think that I will get married in London.", she said with a sigh.

"Don't give up, lassie. I'm pretty sure that your other half is in London waiting for you.", her grandmother said to her.

Elsie picked up her things, kissed one last time her parents and grandmother and left from the house. It was the first time she would leave Scotland and she was afraid of what she would find there. Thank God she had her friend Beryl who lived there and would help her get settled.

**/-00-/**

Elsie was relieved to see Beryl waiting for her at the airport once she arrived. She was sure that she would get lost if she had to find her friend's house all alone. Beryl had offered her to stay with them until she could find a house she could stay in. They hadn't seen each other since they graduated from university fifteen years ago and Beryl had returned to London. Elsie was a little jealous of her friend as she had her own office and a family that she loved very much. She had seen photographs of Beryl's children but she was very excited to meet them in person.

As Elsie didn't know very well London, she asked her friend to show her where the law firm she would work was. Beryl gladly took her to law firm and then left to go to her own office. Elsie was surprised by the big building in front of her and after staring at it for a few moments she entered. She entered the lift to go to the last floor where she was going to meet the owners of the company. "Good morning. How can I help you?", a young woman asked her.

"Good morning. I'm Elsie Hughes and I have a meeting with Robert Crawly.", Elsie said with a smile.

"One moment to inform him.", the young woman smiled back and busied herself with the phone call.

"Elsie Hughes!", she turned around startled by the baritone voice behind her and was very surprised with what she saw.

"Charles Carson!", she was very surprised to see him there and very upset in the same time. He couldn't work here as well, could he? It was the only thing she could wonder as she didn't want to work with that man.

"I see that you know each other.", they both turned a little startled towards the man standing between them with a smile on his face.

"Yes, Robert. It happens that we know each other as we were in the same university.", Charles explained kindly to Robert but inside him he was boiling from anger as he was wondering what that woman was doing in London and here of all places.

"That's very nice, Charles. As it happens that you two will be working together from now on.", Robert informed his friend and lawyer.

"What?", they said at the same time. Robert could see the shock and upset expressions on their faces.

"Charles, you know that I'm very pleased with your work as my lawyer but you can't do it all alone with this company. So, Elsie will be working here as a lawyer which means that you two will be working together.", Robert kindly explained to him hoping to calm them both but it seemed that it only upset them more. "Shall we go into my office to discuss everything?", he offered in hope that the conversation would calm them down and not end up with no lawyer at all.

Charles and Elsie looked each other very upset with each other and followed Robert without saying anything. Fortunately, the meeting went well enough and the two lawyers agreed to work together for the company's good. They were both relieved to hear that they would have separated offices and only have meetings to discuss about the company and other important things. Robert gave the day free for Elsie to rest and get to know London as he wanted to prepare her office for her to start working tomorrow morning. She was able to take a deep breath the moment she left the huge building. She started walking without knowing where to go and decided to search for a house near to the company.

Charles after leaving Robert's office rushed to his office and slammed the door behind him. He wasn't so upset that Robert hired another lawyer but he was upset that it had to be Elsie Hughes the person with whom he had to work from now on. He may be one year older than her but they had hated each other from the first moment they met in Scotland eighteen years ago. He had only agreed to work with her because of the company and Robert. He was sure that it was going to be very difficult to work with that woman but he was willing to try it and see how it goes. She may have changed after all these years and he had changed after all.

**Please, please, please review. I would like to know what you think of this. **

**To Be Continued…**


	2. Getting Used To

**A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews! They really mean a lot to me! This is really crazy as many of the things I will write through this story had been in my dreams. I wanted to update this on Saturday but I did it today. I will update this story once a week, every weekend, as my program is very busy and I need to spend less time in front of the computer in order to do more things and focus on my studies as in almost a month I will have exams. Beryl is 41 years old and she left Scotland along with Charles when they graduated from the university as lawyers. I hope you like it.**

**Disclaimer: Any situation or character that appears in Downton Abbey isn't mine. If I owned them Charles and Elsie would have been married at the end of series three after her cancer scare. **

It was really difficult for them to see each other every day and they were trying to get used to that for the company's sake. Robert had made sure that their offices would be next to each other so they wouldn't have to walk from the one side to the other to see each other if it was necessary. They were relieved that they had only glass on the window behind their desks so they could see outside. Although, no one could understand why they hated each other so much. Almost everyone thought that they were making quiet a perfect couple together and it would be nice if they could love each other.

They would fight whenever they had the opportunity. It could be something that one of them had done wrong with a report or something one of them had misplaced or something else very silly for the others. Beryl had been in front of one of their fights which was caused because Elsie had misplaced his mug. She could see that these two were madly in love with each other but somehow they have managed to hate each other and fight in every given chance. She was sure that one day they would understand their true feelings and it may be too late to do anything. She wanted to do something to make them understand their feelings but she knew better than to pressure or push these two.

Elsie had found a very nice small flat to stay and she had her friend help her with decorating it. It was very nice to have her own place where she could do anything she wanted. One night she was so stressed with Charles that she had gotten drunk which was the cause of her absence from the company the following day. Beryl seeing that her friend was very stressed lately invited her for a drink one night. The two friends were sitting in silence enjoying their drinks. "So, are you going to tell me why you are so stressed lately?", Beryl asked her friend worried as she was looking very tired.

"You know very well who has me so stressed up, Beryl.", she said and downed her whiskey in one gulp and ordered another one. "That man, Charles Carson.", she took a sip from the glass of whiskey the waiter placed in front of her only seconds ago.

"It can't be only him, Elsie.", she was very worried about her. "You look very tired and you have lost weight since you came here.", she watched as gulped half of the whiskey. "Elsie, what's going on?", she was trying to get her to speak to her.

"I don't know, Beryl. I really don't know.", she was holding back her tears as she didn't want to break down in public. "I just don't understand why he has to fight with me for everything. The time you caught us fighting he was upset because accidently I placed his mug on the third shelf while he always puts it on the second shelf. I'm doing my best to keep our differences back and work together for the company's sake.", she gulped the rest of the whiskey but as she raised her hand to order another one, Beryl took it and dragged her out. "Where are we going, Beryl?", she was very confused with her friend's behavior.

Beryl noticing that Elsie wasn't very steady on her feet, helped her walk towards the car. After making sure that she was sitting safely in the car, she drove away from the parking spot. After a while they were back at Elsie's flat. Beryl helped her change into her night clothes and stood with her until she was fast asleep. She could see that something was bothering her and it was the fact that she had started acting upon her true feelings for Charles Carson.

Meanwhile in Charles' flat, Robert was helping him change into his night clothes and stood with him until he was asleep. Robert knew that Charles was in love with Elsie but that man hadn't admitted that even to himself. Through the four months that Elsie had been working for his company he had found Charles drunk a few times. He knew that he was starting acting upon his true feelings for Elsie Hughes and he hoped that something would give him the clue to admit those feelings.

**/-00-/**

The following morning the two of them woke up with a headache, the result of getting drunk last night. They had both been wondering how they had gotten back to their flats, changed into their night clothes and into bed. As they remembered with what person they had been last night they had come to the conclusion that they had helped them and felt embarrassed for getting drunk in front of their friends.

They both arrived to the company in fool mood which didn't get unnoticed from everyone there. Gwen, the young girl that was Elsie's secretary for the past three months, upon seeing her appearing in the office in that state, rushed to make her a coffee without saying anything. She had seen Elsie's temper a few times and she didn't want to be the one in the end of that temper. Elsie had thanked the young girl in a kind but low voice as she still had a terrible headache from last night events and engrossed herself in the work.

Ethel, who was Charles' secretary, had done the same thing for him as Gwen. After leaving the two offices the two young women were wondering what had happened to cause their bosses to be like that today. They both decided to say nothing about that matter as they didn't want to get fired immediately. Charles had thanked her kindly for bringing him his coffee as he didn't want to take out his temper on the poor girl.

Neither had left the office until it was lunchtime. Although, Elsie didn't have appetite for anything she left her office to go for a walk to clear her head. They hadn't seen each other so far and it was a relief for both. Charles had gone to eat something and for a walk afterwards to clear his head. They had to see each other in order to discuss something very important over a case but they didn't want to do that, not today. They had managed to avoid each other until they headed back to the company and entered in the same lift. It was only the two of them inside the lift and they were both trying hard not to take out their nerves on each other. Surprisingly, after getting out of the lift they headed towards the kitchen to make a cup of coffee.

It was everything alright until the vase with the sugar slipped from her hands and landed on the carpet spreading the sugar all over the place and on their shoes. That had done it. "Why can't be more careful?", he shouted at her. "Look what you've done.", he kneeled down to pick up the vase. "All the sugar is all over the place now.", he threw the vase in the sink and looked at her very upset.

"I didn't do in on purpose.", she shouted back at him matching his tone and even louder. "It just slipped from my hands and fell.", she was very upset with for getting upset over something very silly like that. Their raised voices had been heard through the whole floor and people had gathered outside the room watching them. "You don't have to blame everyone else just because you are in a bad mood today.", she shouted at him trying to hold back her tears.

"I'm in a bad mood today? Speak for yourself, Elsie Hughes.", he had done it now. He was taken by surprise when he saw tears falling from her eyes and watched as she run out of the room. It was then that he noticed that they were watching them. "Go back to your jobs.", he shouted at them and turned to the sink.

Robert had seen the whole ordeal between them and after they had all returned to their works, he entered the kitchen and closed the door quietly. "Charles, what's wrong with you?", he asked worried about his friend.

"I don't know Robert. It's maybe because I got drunk last night and my mood isn't very good today.", he sighed and kept looking down in the sink.

"Yes but you can't blame her for everything. It wasn't her fault that the vase slipped from her hands. It was an accident.", he was talking in a soft and kind voice hoping to help him understand.

"I know. I will go to apologize to her and arrange our meeting for later when we have both calmed down.", he lifted his head to look at Robert who nodded in agreement.

He left the kitchen and walked towards her office. He stood still for a moment taking a deep breath before raising his hand and knocking on her door. He knew that she wouldn't probably answer, so he decided to open the door himself. Although, he wasn't prepared at all for what he found when he entered the office. She was lying unconscious on the floor only a few steps away from the door. She must have fainted before she could reach the couch. "Oh my God!", he was kneeling down next to her in an instant. He took her hand in his own to take her pulse and was worried when he discovered it was very slow. He quickly stood up and rushed out of the office. Gwen was surprised to see him walking towards her with flushed and worried face. "Call the doctor of the company and bring him in Elsie's office.", he told her and rushed back to the office.

He picked her up in his arms and gently placed her on the couch. He tried to wake her up by shaking her but it wasn't working. Robert rushed into the office after being informed by Gwen that something had happened. "Charles, what happened?", he was worried about Elsie and he could see the worry written all over Charles' face.

"I knocked on the door but she didn't respond. So, I decided to open the door without knocking a second time. I found her lying unconscious on the floor next to the door.", he explained him and he turned his attention back to her.

A few moments later Gwen entered the office with the doctor following her close behind. The doctor asked the two men to wait outside while he was examining her and asked Gwen to stay with him in case he needed help. Charles started pacing outside the office as they were waiting for the doctor. A few minutes later the door opened and the doctor came out. "She hasn't got anything serious. She fainted because of a low blood pressure but she is going to be alright. I would recommend bed rest for a couple of days before returning back to her work. If she is not feeling better or gets worse by the evening, please take her to a hospital.", he greeted the two men and left.

Charles knew that Elsie didn't have any relative in London and he knew that she was keeping in touch with Beryl while they were away. So, he decided to inform her about what happened with Elsie so she could look after her for a couple of days. Beryl was more than happy to take care of her friend. As she hadn't woken up yet, Charles took her to Beryl's home and brought a few things she might need. He made her promise to call him if anything happened with Elsie and left for his flat. He was worried about her because he knew that he had caused all this to happen. He knew that he wasn't hating her as he thought he was but he wasn't sure what it was that he was feeling.

**Please, please, please review. I would like to know what you think of this. Next chapter at the end of the coming week. If you want check out my video at youtube 'Mr Carson & Mrs Hughes – I Will Always Love You'.**

**To Be Continued…**


	3. A Discovery

**A/N: As I have a busy week I decided to update this you so much for your reviews! They really mean a lot to me! These two are not going to leave me alone until I have finished with this story. They fight over silly things and don't understand how much in love they are. Here is the third chapter. Hope you like it.**

**Disclaimer: Any situation or character that appears in Downton Abbey isn't mine. If I owned them some things would never happen or some characters would have gone already, as Mr. Barrow.**

Something had changed between them since that day he found her lying unconscious on the floor. They had stopped fighting over silly things as it happened last time and started getting along better. It had helped that they were working on a very important and difficult case and they needed to be united and focused. Robert and Beryl were so happy to see that change between their two friends. Elsie had been surprised when she had woken up in Beryl's house wondering what had happened and her friend had told her everything. She didn't expect that man to be so worried about her. She was even more surprised when he had gone to visit her the next day with the permission of Beryl of course.

It had been an idea of both of them to have a door on the wall that separated the two offices as they thought it silly to get out of one office and into the other. Robert had heard their suggestion and agreed with that idea. So he made sure that within a few days the door was there on the wall. It was a little weird for them at the beginning but they had gotten used to it and it was much easier that way. He wouldn't admit it to anyone but he liked the idea of being able to check on her every now and then as he was still a little worried about her health after that day.

She was working on her computer when she heard a knock on the inside door and smiled. "Come in, Charles.", she called as she continued working on the computer.

He was smiling when he entered her office. "I'm sorry to interrupt you, Elsie.", he walked and sat down in one of the chairs in front of her desk. "We have to look over these in order to continue with the case.", he placed the papers on her desk.

"Oh my God!", she sighed when she saw how many there were. "What are we going to do?", she looked at her computer and saw that it was already late and she wanted to return home. "I have an idea.", she smiled.

"I'm all ears.", he said quiet interested seeing her smile.

"It's already six and I want to return home. So, why don't you come by my house around eight o'clock? We could have dinner together and then look at these papers through a glass of wine.", she explained to him. She wanted to go home, to have a hot bath and relax for a bit on her bed.

"I have to agree. I will take the papers with me to have a quick look at them and around eight o'clock I will be there.", he smiled at her and left her office along with the papers.

**/-00-/**

She felt her body and mind relaxing as she sank into the filled with hot water bath tub. She could feel the stress and tiredness leave her body and enjoying the relaxing. She let her head fall back and she closed her eyes for a few minutes. She didn't want to fall asleep but the hot water had a very nice effect on her. After a few minutes she finished washing herself and went to her bedroom to get ready. She had decided what to cook on her way home. She put her favourite CD to play as she liked very much to cook with the help of the music.

It was eight o'clock sharp when she heard the doorbell. She quickly dried her hands and went to answer it. Charles was standing in front of her with one hand full of the papers while in the other he was holding a bag. "I brought a couple of bottles of wine.", he explained as he noticed that she was looking the bag he was holding.

"Come in, Charles.", she closed the door behind him and rushed to the kitchen. Charles followed her after a few moments placing the two bottles on the counter. He had placed the papers on the desk inside her office. "In less that fifteen minutes we will be eating.", she smiled at him and returned her attention to her cooking to finish.

"It smells very nice, Elsie.", he had to admit that he was surprised to see her cooking but he hadn't any doubt about her skills on that matter. He decided to open one of the bottles and smiled when she placed two glasses in front of him. He handed her a glass of wine and waited her reaction.

"Mmmmm.", she looked very content. "It's a very nice wine, Charles.", she placed her glass on the counter and finished the cooking by serving their dinner.

They ate their dinner in a very comfortable conversation as they were both interested in each other's life. He insisted on helping with the washing up and she had given in. She went to fetch the papers and everything they would need while he made sure to bring the wine and the glasses with him. "Alright. Now we can start.", they sat down on the carpet in front of the fireplace looking at the papers.

She had gone to search from some papers she had brought with her from Scotland when she found a box that she didn't remember placing in there. She returned to the living room with the papers and the box in her hands. "What's that?", he asked curious about the box she was holding.

"I honestly don't know. I found it where I had put the papers but I don't remember placing it there in the first place.", she was looking for something to see who was the owner. At the bottom of the box she found something written _'Elisabeth Smith'_. "What?", she was surprised and confused. "Why I have my grandmother's box with me?", she was wondering when something came to her mind. "She must have placed it there but I don't understand it.", she couldn't find out the reason.

As they were both very curious to see what the box had inside, she opened it slowly. She pulled out an old black and white picture of a young couple that was… them? They were looking very confused at the picture. It couldn't be them as they had hated each other from the first time they met. They wouldn't have taken a picture just the two of them where they were smiling to each other and seemed so in love. As she was so curious she turned the photograph to see if something was written behind it. They looked both shocked at what was written behind the photograph. _'Elisabeth Smith and Charles Carson. 10 June 1943'_ They looked each other very shocked.

**Please, please, please review. I would like to know what you think of this chapter.**

**To Be Continued…**


	4. Shock and Aftermath

**A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews. They really mean a lot to me. Charles and Elsie discovered something in the previous chapter that shocked them. What was that? I hope you like it.**

**Disclaimer: Any situation or character that appears in Downton Abbey isn't mine. If I owned them I would be very happy. **

They were looking at the photograph too shocked to say anything after that. Elsie turned the photograph to look again at the young happy couple that was so much like her and Charles. Funny enough the man was called as the man that was sitting next to her at the moment. The first shocked had passed and they looked each other once more. "I know that this is a shock but…", she was trying to figure out who the man was. "Who is the man standing next to my grandmother?", she asked without waiting an answer.

"Your grandmother?", Charles was now even more shocked and confused as to what was happening. "Elsie, the man who is standing next to your grandmother is…", he took a deep breath to calm. "Elsie, he is my grandfather.", her face now had the same expression he had only seconds ago.

"Your grandfather?", she was so confused and looking between Charles that was sitting next to her and Charles that was standing next to her grandmother in the photograph. She stood up from the sofa and started pacing in front of it. "I just don't understand anything, Charles. I don't understand what is happening.", she was so confused while she was trying to figure out everything in her mind as she was pacing. "My grandmother and your grandfather had met each other back in 1943 and they seem very happy and in love.", she said as she hold up the photograph to look at it once more. She continued pacing while watching the photograph. Suddenly, she stopped and turned to look at him. "All these years my grandmother never said to me about your grandfather.", she stared in the distance as she tried to remember something. "I remember a conversation we had when I was still in the university. We were talking about boyfriends and she told me that she had been in love with a man but she married my grandfather. I had asked her a few times what happened to that man but she refused to say anything to me.", she started feeling dizzy with all that information dancing in her head and trying to figure out what had happened that separated her grandmother and his grandfather and sat back down in the sofa next to Charles.

Charles looked her worried but decided to leave it and took the photograph from her hands to take a better look at it. They seemed to be so happy and in love in that photo but what had happened? He lifted his head to look at her when she sighed heavily. "My grandfather never said anything about your grandmother.", he looked once more at the photo. "They seem so happy and in love here but obviously something happened to separate them otherwise we could have been cousins.", he lifter his head at his comment and looked at her. They both started laughing heartily at that.

As they calmed down Elsie took the box in her hands and placed in on her lap as she started searching inside of it. She found many letters addressed to her grandmother from Charles' grandfather. She looked at Charles like a child at whom they had just offered its favourite chocolate. She noticed that her grandmother had placed them organized with the days that had been sent. She took the first letter in her hands and looked at it very carefully. Somehow she noticed that the handwriting was a little similar to Charles' handwriting. She turned her head and looked at him. "Would you like to open the letter to see what your grandfather wrote to my grandmother?", she had a smile on her face which widened at his nod. Slowly and carefully she opened the letter. It was the first letter and it was sent on 18th of April 1943.

_My dear Elisabeth,_

_I remember when you told me that you hadn't received a love letter yet, so I wanted to be the first one (and perhaps the only one) to send you a love letter._

_I miss you so much, my darling Elisabeth. I hated that I had to leave Scotland and leave you because my mother wanted me here to meet a girl of my age. I simply came here to comply with my mother's wishes and then turn down anything arranged. _

_I will never love a woman so much as I love you, my love. I know that we only know each other two months but I feel that with you I found the love of my life, that I found the meaning of life and I couldn't possibly live without you by my side. _

_I will try to arrange to come back to you as soon as I can, darling. I have only left you for a week but I miss you from the first second I was away from you. I hope that I will be able to come back in two weeks if not earlier. Please remember how much I love you and that soon we will be together again._

_Always yours,_

_Charles._

Elsie handed him the letter after reading it three times in order for what she had just read to settle in. She couldn't believe that her grandmother had met a man before her grandfather and that they were madly in love. She wanted so much to learn what had happened that separated her from that man and she got married to another man with whom she had four children. Slowly she started to understand the difference between the look her mother gave to her father and the look her grandmother had given to her grandfather until he died. She understood that her parents were in love with each other but her grandmother loved her husband and was _in _love with another man.

Charles heavy sigh brought her out of her thoughts. He was looking as confused as she was at the moment. They had the same question: What happened to separate Elisabeth and Charles? Charles remembered that once his grandfather had said something about a girl that had met but never again said anything about that girl. Now he knew that that girl was Elsie's grandmother and somehow they had managed to be separated. His eyes caught sight of the other letters and then looked up at Elsie. "Why don't we open one more letter to see what my grandfather wrote?", he asked her hoping to say yes. He was somehow glad to see her nodding and reaching to take the next letter in her hands. As she opened it they read: 4th of May 1943.

_My dear Elisabeth,_

_I can't apologize enough for not being there right now with you enjoying the sun and have you in my arms. My father had a heart attack a week ago and he is in the hospital. The doctor told us that his heart is weak and he may die after two or more serious heart attacks in the future. _

_I know that he is my father and I love him but I would rather be there with you than here in the hospital. I only stayed because I have to support my mother. In a few days he will return home and mother will be taking care of him along with my younger sister. _

_I promise you that in a couple of weeks I will be in Scotland with you. We will go to the lake we love so much because it was the place we met each other. We will undress each other slowly while the sun will be warming us. Once we are naked we will go in the lake for swimming and I will make love to you as our first time together. We will spend the day there lying down on the grass holding each other and making love and all the while the sun will warm our bodies and our souls. _

_I can't wait to be there and hold you in my arms, my darling. I miss you so much that my heart is aching from the distance that exists between us. Soon I will be there and we can spend joyful days together._

_Always yours,_

_Charles._

Elsie had to read three times the letter for everything to settle in. She was feeling a little awkward to read a love letter that was sent to her grandmother by a man who happens to be Charles' grandfather. It was weird to read that her grandmother had a complete relationship before she got married. She was feeling hot and she knew her cheeks were flushed from reading the letter. She turned her head to look at him when he sighed heavily. They looked each other for a few moments, both lost in each other's eyes. "I have to leave. It's very late and I must go home. Tomorrow is a big and long day for us.", he said as he stood up from the sofa.

He gave her back the letter and watched as she placed the two letters and the photograph back into the box and closed it. She put it aside on the sofa and he helped her gather all the papers in front of them. He gulped down the wine that was left in his glass and then left for his home. It was going to be a sleepless night for both of them as they had information to settle in and think about. They wanted so much to learn the reason her grandmother and his grandfather separated forever but that had to wait as they had to focus on the case they were working on.

**Please review. I would like to know what you think of this chapter.**

**To Be Continued…**


	5. With Different Eyes

**A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews! They really mean a lot to me! As from Wednesday till Sunday are going to be busy days for me I decided to update this today! Also, I am very happy as in my country they started showing Downton Abbey from the beginning. This chapter will have only Charles and Elsie. The next chapter, though, will have Elisabeth and Charles. I hope you like it.**

**Disclaimer: Any situation or character that appears in Downton Abbey isn't mine. If I owned them some characters would have gone by now.**

Only a few days had passed since the night they discovered that box with the old photograph and the letters that Charles' grandfather had sent to Elsie's grandmother. They hadn't talked about it since that night as they were engrossed at the case they had been working on for days. As he was sitting in his office working on his computer his mind drifted to the previous day, the day they were in the court for the trial. They were working together as a team, so they both had to speak in the court for their client. He had discovered that every time she would get up to walk and talk he wasn't listening to anything she or someone else was saying.

He found that his body was reacting at the sight in front of him. He watched how that black pencil skirt was hugging her body in the right places and was ending just above the knee showing off that beautiful strong legs she had. He had to admit that she had a marvelous back side as the skirt was hugging it very nice. He watched how that light blue blouse with the v neckline was showing off prettily but modesty her very nice cleavage. She would pin up her hair a little more tight and firmly whenever they had to go to the court for a trial.

He was brought back to reality after a moan escaped his lips and noticed how his body had reacted only thinking of her beautiful heavenly body. It was at that moment he discovered that since the day he found her unconscious in her office after that silly fight they had he had began noticing her more. He was noticing what she was wearing every day, which style she preferred when she was in the office, when she was in the court or when she would go for a business dinner. He remembered that he had never seen her with her hair down or with anything more casual. The night he went to her house to work on their case she had put on a dress that she had wore a few times in the office and she had pinned her hair in a lose bun.

It was the first time he was so grateful upon hearing a knock on his office door. "Come in.", he called as he tried to get these thoughts out of his mind.

Ethel entered his office with some papers in her hands and a smile on her face. "The papers you asked, Mr. Carson.", she said and placed them on his desk in front of her.

"Thank you very much, Ethel.", he said and watched as the young woman left his office. It was the perfect chance to focus on something else and push the thoughts he had earlier in the back of his mind for the time.

**/-00-/**

She was at her office working on some important files for a case in her computer but she found it difficult to concentrate as her mind was drifting off to the previous day, the day they were in the court for the trial. She was working with Charles as a team, so they had to speak in the court. She had found herself getting lost whenever his was up, walking inside the room and talking. She was enchanted by his deep, baritone voice that made her feel lost whenever she heard him. She would watch his strong tall legs and his hands that were feeling so nice whenever he touched her hands.

She knew that something inside her had changed that day she had fainted in her office after their silly fight. Before that day whenever she would hear or see him, she would have felt angry and upset but now she would feel her heart racing, her stomach doing flip flops like she had butterflies inside her and sometimes she would get lost in his eyes or hearing his voice. The worry she had seen written all over his face had made her change her opinion for him and starting noticing him more. There were times she was wondering how his hand would feel running all over her body or how his lips would feel on her own lips or how it would feel to be embraced by him.

She noticed how her body was reacting only by thinking of him. She started feeling a little dizzy and wanted to get these thoughts out of her mind but she couldn't. They would stay there forever as they had started since that day he visited her in Beryl's home to check if she was feeling better. It was that day that she had started noticing more what he was wearing everyday and by now she knew what he preferred to wear in different occasions. In the office he would come with a simple suit but he had always a good jacked if a new client came to see him. In the court he was always wearing his best suits that made him more professional and more confident about his work. She discovered that she had never seen him in something else that it wasn't a suit but it was because she had never met him outside of work.

It was one of the times she was so grateful to hear the knock on her door. "Come in.", she called and straightened herself.

Gwen entered the office with papers in her left hand, a cup in her right arm and a smile on her face. "I brought you the papers you asked and a cup of tea to freshen you up, Ms. Hughes.", she informed her as she placed the papers and the cup on the desk in front of her.

Elsie was feeling so lucky to have that girl as her secretary as she knew whenever she was in need of a cup of tea to relax her and freshen her up. "Thank you very much, Gwen.", she took a sip from her tea and felt the warmth inside her. "You can leave earlier today as I will go home because I have a lot of work to do.", she noticed how the girl's face lightened.

"Thank you very much, Ms. Hughes.", she smiled widely at her boss and left the office to return to her work. As she looked at the papers in front of her she knew that she would focus on them for the rest of the day and keep those thoughts away from her for a bit.

**Please, please, please review! I would like to know what you think of this chapter!**

**To Be Continued…**


	6. The First Kiss

**A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews! You don't know how much you help me through this story! As I promised in the previous chapter in this chapter we will learn more about Elisabeth and Charles through Elsie and Charles. I hope you like it.**

**Disclaimer: Any situation or character that appears in the drama, isn't mine.**

The last two weeks they were working very hard on some important and difficult cases they had, so they had completely forgotten the letters that his grandfather had sent to her grandmother. They had finished with the trial so they decided to return to the office to finish with some files before retiring for an early night to their homes. They walked absentmindedly to her office feeling very tired. They let themselves to sink in the couch she had in her office. After a few moments they looked each other and started laughing heartily together.

They took a few minutes to rest there in the couch and then went to her desk to finish with the files of the cases they had finished the last two weeks so they could rest for the next days and focus on the less important and easy cases they had. They were so relieved when Robert told them that they had the following day free from work and thinking that it was following the weekend they had three whole days to rest before returning to work on Monday.

Charles seemed to had remembered the letters as he stopped her before she left the office to go home. "Elsie, I was wondering if we could continue to read the letters my grandfather had sent to your grandmother.", he watched as she remembered the letters as well.

"Oh yes! You are right, Charles.", she looked in the distance as she started thinking. "Well, tonight we can't meet as I want to rest from the long day we had.", she took a few moments to think and then looked at him with a smile on her face. "What do you say if you come tomorrow evening for dinner at my house and then we can sit in the living room with the fire to read them while having a glass of wine?", she looked at his as he was thinking.

"Alright, Elsie.", he looked at his watch on his hand. "About half past seven is alright with you?", he asked her with so much hope.

"Alright, then. Tomorrow evening at half past seven at my home. Good night, Charles.", she said and turned to leave her office.

"Good night, Elsie.", he said as he watched her leaving. It was going to be a very long day tomorrow as he had until the evening to rest in his home for the first time in months.

**/-00-/**

It was feeling so good, so nice to wake up in Friday morning and not had to go at work. She had woken up with a smile at eleven o'clock in the morning feeling very freshen up after sleeping for this long for the first time after months. They had always the weekends free from going to the company but she had always to get up early to have her breakfast and then look at her cases. Especially the last two weeks were so busy that she had drifted off the moment her head hit her pillow. She was feeling quiet freshen up and was looking forward to spend the evening with him.

She had her breakfast first and then cleaned up the whole house as she had so much energy that after all this work she was feeling very well and fresh. She had skipped her lunch as she was focused with the cleaning that she ordered something to eat that would keep her until the dinner. She had decided what she wanted to cook for the main course and the dessert. She had gone to buy a few bottles of wine as she had finished all the bottles she had in her house.

She had made sure that everything was perfect and she went to have a very nice hot and relaxing bath. She had filled the bath tub with hot water and put inside lavender and lemon, her two favourite scents. She had enjoyed so much the feeling of relaxing the hot water along with the lavender and the lemon were leaving behind them. After washing her hair and drying herself, she went to her bedroom to decide what she was going to wear. As she was searching in her wardrobe she decided to wear a very nice and simple light blue dress that hugged her body in all the right places. She applied a light make-up, a light rouge on her cheeks and a nude colour lipstick on her lips.

She was ready just in time when she heard the doorbell ringing. She looked herself one last time in the mirror making sure her hair and make-up were alright and went to answer the door. She greeted him with a smile as she opened the door. "Come in, Charles.", she closed the door beside him and put his things aside.

"I brought a bottle of my favourite wine. I thought that you might like to try it.", he held out the bag with the bottle and smiled.

"Of course, Charles. We can try it after dinner as we go through the letters.", she took the bag from him and leaded him to the dining room to sit down while she went to the kitchen to fetch the food and drink. They had a lovely dinner accompanied with a very nice conversation between them. They had started feeling more comfortable than nervous upset in each other's presence.

He had insisted on helping her with the cleaning up and after protesting for a few moments she finally gave in and let him help her. She found that he was very responsible and good with the house work and she smiled at that. After finishing the cleaning he went to the living room with the bottle of wine he brought and two glasses to lit the fire as well while she went to her office to get her grandmother's box with the letters. They looked one time at the two letters they had read so far to remember what they were saying and Elsie took in her hands the third letter. It was sent on 13th of August 1943.

_My dear Elisabeth,_

_I can't tell you with words how much I miss you my darling girl. My heart is aching so much that we are apart from each other. We have spent the most joyful days of my life and I will never forget them. I hated so much that I had to leave you almost two weeks ago but I was so scared when my mother said that it was very urgent and important to come home._

_My father somehow managed to have a second heart attack and he was in a much more serious condition than the first time. I am afraid that he will not survive a third heart attack if it happens in the future. Although, I just can't understand what happened to cause this heart attack. He was perfectly fine when I left him in the end of May to come to Scotland. Let's not talk about my father anymore._

_Elisabeth please don't agree to marry that Duncan Reynolds, just don't do it. I can't think my life without you, my darling. I know that your parents are pressuring you to marry him but I ask you to wait a while longer so I can speak with my family. It will be the happiest day of my life when I will come along with my parents to ask your hand in marriage from your parents. I am dreaming this day__every night. Please Elisabeth just wait for me. I can't lose you my darling Elisabeth. _

_I will write you again very soon to inform you when I will be able to come back to you. _

_Always yours,_

_Charles._

Elsie had read the letter three times to understand what it was written on it and for everything to settle in. Her great-grandparents were pressuring her to marry her grandfather but that man was asking her to wait for him and refuse the offer of marriage. She just needed to understand what had happened to lead the things to the way they were today. What happened that made her grandmother accept her grandfather's proposal? Had the other man lied to her all those months? Many questions were dancing in her mind and her hands took hold of the fourth letter. It was sent on 25th of October 1943.

_My darling Elisabeth,_

_I can't tell you with words how much I miss you. I can't apologize enough for not writing to you for two whole months but I just didn't know how to say to you what had happened here these last two months. _

_I told my parents the whole truth about you, about the girl that I am so in love with and I want to marry her. My father had a crisis and almost died because of that. He returned home two weeks later and the doctor told us that the next time it would definitely kill him without doubt. They don't want me to marry you as you are only a daughter of a farmer and not a girl that would suit in our class. I screamed and I yelled that I didn't care about our social difference, that you are a very good girl and would make a wonderful wife and mother but they are against that idea. _

_I can't tell you just how much I hate them for refusing me to marry the love of my life, the woman I want to spend the rest of my life together, the woman that I want to be the mother of my children, the woman I want to grow old with but they just refuse. It is so unfair that social classes still exist and making me be separated from the love of my life. _

_I hate so much to hurt you so much through a letter but my parents have arranged for me to get married with a girl of my age and social class in a month. I agreed to marry her only because of my parents but I will not love her as I love you. She will be my wife for the rest of our lives, the mother of my children but always in my heart will be you my darling. I will dream our perfect family together. I will dream a girl that will look exactly like you and a boy that will look exactly like me. I will dream that I have you in my arms and make love to you._

_I hate so much to tell you through a letter that we will be separated for ever and I am going to get married in a month with a girl that I don't love. I will always love you._

_Always yours,_

_Charles._

She was so angry as she finished reading it for a second time. They were from different social classes and his parents didn't let him to marry the love of her life. Her grandmother and this man were separated because of the social classes and all the silly rules that existed then. She hadn't felt how her tears were falling from her eyes as she was so angry right now.

Charles finished reading the letter and was angry too with what happened. He couldn't believe that his grandfather had been separated from the love of his life because of all the silly rules that existed then. He looked up at Elsie and was worried to see her crying. He put his arms around her shoulders. "What's the matter, Elsie?", he wanted so much to comfort her.

She was looking at the fireplace while she was shaking her head and her tears were falling uncontrollably. "It isn't fair, Charles. My grandmother and your grandfather were separated because of all those silly rules that existed then.", she was hysterical now. "I am so angry with all those rules and I am angry with your grandfather that accepted all this without fighting for his love.", she buried her face in her hands and continued crying as her whole body was shaking from her sobs.

He pulled her close to him and started rubbing soothing circles on her back to calm her down. After a while her sobs had subsided and she had calmed down from her outburst earlier. He put his hand under her chin and lifted her head to look at him. He was so lost in the beautiful blue pool of her eyes. He leaned forward until his lips were touching hers. He started kissing her and was a little surprised when she didn't push him away but deepened the kiss. A few minutes later they broke apart out of breath. "I am so sorry, Elsie.", he was feeling a little uncomfortable after that. "I have to go home.", he said as he stood up and made his way towards the door.

Elsie showed him where his things were and he took them. After biding her 'good night' he left quickly to go to his home. Neither knew how they would react after what had just happened between them. They were both wondering if the other one was feeling the same thing they were feeling. They were going to find out soon.

**Please review! I would like to know what you think! Next chapter more about the two couples! Any ideas you have about this story are very welcome! I wish to everyone a HAPPY CHRISTMAS! **


	7. Research and Admittance

**A/N: Having two busy days and one day to rest I decided to update it now! Thank you so much for your reviews! I really enjoy writing this story as some of the things I write I have seen them in my dreams, this is a bit weird. As I promised you this chapter we will learn more about Elisabeth and Charles through their grandchildren. I hope you like it.**

**Disclaimer: Any situation or character that appears in the drama isn't mine! **

They spent the whole weekend thinking about their first kiss and how they would look each other on Monday morning at the office. They had spent almost twenty years, since the day they first met, hating each other for some reason that even they didn't know and now they had their first kiss. No one had pulled away from that kiss until they were in need of air and it was something that they felt it was right after all they had been through.

She had spent almost the whole weekend either in her bed or in her sofa with a warm blanket that her grandmother and mother had made for her when they learnt that she was leaving Scotland. It was Sunday afternoon and she was still in her bed under her covers and her warm blanket around her shoulders. She had around her the box with the letters and all the photographs she had brought with her to London. She had read many times the four letters that she had read before with Charles and she was looking at the photographs. She had in her hands the photograph of Elisabeth and Charles and the photograph of Elisabeth and Duncan.

She noticed all the differences between the two photographs she was holding in her hands. In the first photograph her grandmother was so happy and beautiful looking the love of her life. In the second photograph her grandmother was looking at her grandfather with a smile that was indicating that she was happy but now she could see the sadness in her eyes. She was sure that her grandmother loved her grandfather but not in the way she loved _him_. She was so angry that his parents hadn't accepted her because of their social classes. They would have changed their mind or be surprised to know that her family's social class had changed from third to second when Mary, Elsie's mother, had gotten married to a very kind doctor.

As she was looking at the other photographs she found a photograph from when she was at the university. They had put her and Charles next to each other. She remembered how upset she was about that but as she noticed the photograph closer she could see a small smile appearing on her face and on Charles' face as well. She knew that something had changed inside her but maybe it hadn't changed at all. It could have been there from the beginning but only now it grew and she could notice it. She knew that it was something very different from hate, it was… love. She had been in love with Charles since the day she met him but they had hated each other from that day. It was a way to protect ourselves, she thought to herself as she realized how madly in love she was with him. She had discovered that she couldn't wait for the next day to come to see him once more at the office. She liked to be with him and was feeling very comfortable as if it was something they had been doing all their lives.

Suddenly, tears started falling from her eyes as she was realizing how much time they had missed with their hate towards each other. She was thinking that maybe he wasn't feeling the same thing for her as she was feeling for him. She was crying because she wanted to be with him, to confess her love for him and because she was afraid that she would lose his friendship if she confessed her feelings and he wasn't feeling the same for her.

**/-00-/**

She had red eyes when she arrived the following morning at the company. After having a short meeting with Gwen for anything that came up during the last three days she was left all alone in her office trying to calm down. She had to see him today as they had scheduled a meeting between them to discuss over a case. She didn't know how to look at him after their first kiss, after the realization she had made last night about being immensely and madly in love with him.

She was brought out of the difficult position when the inside door between their offices opened and revealed a smiling but very thoughtful Charles. She felt how she relaxed almost immediately with his presence. "Good morning, Charles.", she managed a smile for him.

"Good morning, Elsie.", he told her still keeping his smile. He closed the door behind him and went to sit down in one of the two chairs in front of her desk. "I did a little research while I was resting this weekend and I found something.", he held out to her the file he was holding and opened it. "My grandfather sent your grandmother a letter on 25th of October 1943 saying that his parents didn't want her because of her social class and he was going to get married with a girl.", he looked down on the opened filed before looking at her again. "My grandfather married my grandmother on 5th of November 1943. Only seven months later my aunt Bethany was born.", he looked back down on the file to make sure that he had read right.

"What?", she was looking at him with her mouth open and her widened eyes so confused. "If your aunt was born only seven months into their marriage that means either your grandfather and your grandmother had a relationship while he had a distant relationship with my grandmother or your aunt isn't your grandfather's child.", she was trying to make a sense out of that information. She was upset that he could have lied to her grandmother about his love for her.

"My grandmother died five years ago from cancer so she can't tell us the truth. My grandfather, though, can tell us the truth.", he informed her and looked down at the file to read what else he had found.

"Your grandfather is alive?", she was looking at him very surprised.

"Yes, he is ninety-two years old.", he said it as if it was something very natural. "I was wondering if I could come to your house tonight so we could read the other letters he sent to your grandmother. I am very curious to see what he had sent to her as he was married to my grandmother.", he was hoping so much that she would say yes because he wanted to go for one reason more.

"Of course, Charles. We can leave together from here to go to my house but I haven't cooked anything.", she was so glad that they would spend another evening together.

"We will buy something on our way to your house.", he smiled at her and stood up. "I have work to do but we will have an early night today as we don't have so much work.", he left her there looking at him like a school girl that liked a boy very much.

**/-00-/**

They had decided to buy some Chinese to eat at her house. After taking their food they bought a few bottles of wine to accompany their evening. They had a wonderful time as they were eating and drinking while they were saying about their childhoods and laughing. It was a very cold night so he had lit the fire in her living room as she cleaned up everything before joining him with the box and the wine. They sat comfortable in the sofa and reread the four letters before going through the others. They discovered that only four letters were left for them to read. The first one was sent on 3rd of July 1944.

_My dear Elisabeth,_

_I miss you so much. It was wrong to leave without a fight and get married with Christina. I listened to my parents and gave you up without a fight. I should have left from London forever and stay in Scotland with you. We would have get married and have our family. _

_Almost two weeks ago my daughter was born and we decided to name her Bethany. You don't know how much I wanted this daughter to be our daughter but things didn't go that way. I don't love my wife in the way I love you and I will never love her that way. You are the only woman for me, you are the love of my life. _

_I will concentrate on my work and on my children for the rest of my life. My only hope, my only wish that keeps me alive and helps me continue is to meet you some day in the future. Please my darling Elisabeth send me an answer to know how is your life now. I want to know if you married Duncan._

_Always yours,_

_Charles._

They couldn't believe what they had just read. He had written a letter to her almost two weeks after the baby was born. He wanted to know if she had gotten married. Elsie was looking at the letter as she was trying to remember if her grandmother had been married when this letter was sent to her. "If I remember right, my grandmother married my grandfather in the beginning of November 1943. She must had been seven months pregnant when your grandfather sent her this letter as my uncle Robert was born in the beginning of September.", she was eager to read the next three letters and she took the next one in her hands. It was sent on 25th of August 1946.

_My dear Elisabeth,_

_You don't know how happy I am to know that you are happily married with your husband. I would hate myself for ever if I learnt that your husband was treating you badly. I would even come there myself and kill him with my own two hands. I am happy to know that your baby girl arrived well in the world only a month ago. _

_Christina is six months pregnant and my parents are praying that this one is a boy. Honestly, I wouldn't care if it is another girl and the only thing I want is for my child to arrive safe and healthy into this world. My little Bethany is growing up so fast and I think she will be very happy to have a little brother or sister to play. _

_Elisabeth remember one thing: You are the love of my life. I will never forget you as long as I live. I wish that one day in the future we will meet again. Please answer me whenever you can. I would like very much to know how are you going on with your life and your family._

_Always yours,_

_Charles._

Elsie was looking at the letter. He had sent it only a month after her mother was born and he was telling her that soon he was going to be a father again. It must had been very painful for both of them to learn about each other's life but they kept writing to each other. She watched as Charles put the letter with the others and picked up the next letter to read it. It was sent on 30th of February 1947.

_My darling Elisabeth,_

_I hate it so much to inform you that this is the last letter that I will send you for the rest of our lives. We have to stop writing to each other because if we continue this way we will never carry on with our lives._

_We are both married to two wonderful people who don't reserve what we are doing. We are writing to the love of our lives but this is going to stop here. I have to concentrate on my wife, on my children and on my work. It is going to be very difficult to not hear from you ever again but I know that this is the right decision._

_I will never forget you. I will never forget the wonderful days we spent together in that wonderful place. I will never forget that we belong to each other from the first time we made love. I will always regret not fighting for you. Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do about that right now as we are both married with children and we can't leave them in order to be together. It is our sacrifice for our children and our love. I LOVE YOU!_

_Always yours, _

_Charles._

They were both so confused now. They were looking at the letter they had just read and at the letter that was sitting alone in the box. If that was the last letter he had sent then what was the other? Elsie very curious to find out took the letter in her hands and opened the envelope. It had only a card that was saying: _'I had this photograph with me all this time. I made a copy that I could keep myself and I sent you the original one. It is the only photograph we have to remember each other. Always yours, Charles.'_ They discovered that the card was referring to the photograph of them that they had found out on top of the letters. He had sent her the photograph after his last letter but they didn't know when exactly he sent it. They took a while to reread all the letters and look at the photograph before putting them in the box and back in her office.

They were sitting in silence drinking their wine and looking at the fireplace at the fire. It was the only thing you could hear in that silence that was filling the whole room. He sat closer to her and put his arms around her shoulders. She was surprised by this action but didn't pull away she just lifted her head to look at him. They locked their gazes and were lost in each other's eyes. He leaned down until his lips were touching hers. He didn't do anything at first letting her pull away if she wanted but she just deepened the kiss. They pulled away only out of need for air. "Elsie, I am not sorry about this.", he told her holding her hand. "I love you, Elsie. I am immensely and madly in love with you.", he kissed her once more with all his love.

They pulled away again out of need for air. "I love you too, Charles. I am immensely and madly in love with you as well.", she told him and placed a soft kiss on his lips. "I want to ask you something before we take this a step further.", she looked how his attention was fully on her now. "Why did you leave so quickly the night we had our first kiss?", she was curious to know what had made him leave so quickly after their first kiss as they were so sure know that they were in love with each other.

He looked down at their entwined hands for a few moments before lifting his head to look at her in the eyes. He knew that she would ask him that at some point. "I was afraid, Elsie. I didn't actually think that moment. I thought that I had ruined our friendship with that kiss and I wanted to leave so I could give us both some time alone to think about it.", he kissed her softly on the lips. "I love you very much, Elsie and I couldn't stand it if I had ruined everything that night.", he had finally told her his reason and he was hoping that she wouldn't refuse him now.

"Of course you wouldn't ruin everything, my man.", she took his face in her hands. "I love you very much, Charles.", she kissed him softly.

He couldn't stop kissing her so he kissed her back with all his passion, his desire and love for her. As they were kissing his hands traveled to her back and started unzipping the dress. She felt his hands on her back and she started working on the buttons of his shirt. He slowly pulled down the dress from her shoulders kissing the exposed skin. He only pulled his hand away from her body to help her get rid of his shirt and went back to his work as her hands threw the shirt on the floor behind the sofa. He pushed her so she was lying back on the sofa as he slowly took off of her the dress. He didn't pull her back up to him but took off her high heels and started pulling off her stockings. He could hear her moaning in pleasure as his hands were working so softly against her skin of her strong legs. He left her only in her bra and panties as he was still almost fully clothed. She sat back up again and her hands went to his belt and his trousers. He lied back on the sofa so she could pull his trousers off of him. In one move she took off his shoes and trousers, threw them behind to join his shirt and took off his shocks as well before he sat back up again.

He kissed her hungrily as he took off her bra and throw it away. He pushed her backwards so she could lie down on the sofa as his mouth started traveling all over her body. He stopped at her breasts as he started suckling, kissing and pulling hard until her nipples were hard against his skin. He continued kissing her until he reached her panties and slowly his hands pulled them down while his lips were kissing the exposed skin. "Oh Charles…", he smiled against her skin when he heard her saying his name in pleasure.

"You are gorgeous, Elsie.", he told her as he made his way back up to her lips. He made quick work with his underwear and in a matter of seconds they were both lying naked on the sofa. She was pinned between the sofa and his body. "I love you, Elsie.", he kissed hungrily once more as his hands traveled down to her center.

"I love you too, Charles.", she told him enjoying his caresses. "Oh my God…", she cried out as she felt his fingers entering her and started moving slowly against her. She could feel the fire burning her inside and she couldn't hold on anymore. She needed him right now. "Oh Charles… Oh dear God… I need you… Please Charles…", she was moaning in pleasure.

He moved his hand against her only for a few moments more before taking it out and repositioning himself at her entrance. He kissed her on the lips with all his love as he entered her in one long thrust. He looked down to see her smiling and moaning as she adjusted to the feeling of him inside her. He started moving with slow thrusts wanting to give her all the pleasure in the world. He was feeling like his was in Heaven. "Oh God… Elsie… My love… Te amo…", he wasn't sure why he had spoken in Spanish but he found that he liked it very much.

"Oh yes… yes… Charles… oh God… Ti amo amor mio…", she was feeling so good to speak to him in Italian. Her hands traveled to his back and her nails tagged on his skin making sure to leave marks, the marks of her love for him.

They could feel that they were nearing their climax but they wanted to give all the pleasure in the world to each other. He started thrusting harder and faster as he knew that he couldn't wait any longer. It took only a few more thrusts before the room was filled with their cries as they climaxed together. He fell against her and kissed her with all his love.

"Te amo, mi amor!", he told her as he placed a soft kiss on her lips.

"Ti amo, amor mio!", she told him as she returned his soft kiss.

A few moments later his lied down next to her on the sofa drawing her in his arms. He found the blanket that was on the back of the sofa and covered their naked bodies. The blanket and the fire would keep them warm as they drifted off to a sleep full of wonderful dreams.

**Please review! I would like to know what you think of this chapter! Any ideas are very welcome! I wish everyone a Happy New Year!**


	8. Losing what you didn't know

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews! They really mean a lot to me! Of course you are helping me very much to write this story! These two are still dancing in my mind telling me their story but also allowing me to write my own ideas for them after getting their permission first. In the previous chapter they finally admitted their true feelings for each other and made love for the first time. Let's see what life keeps in store for them. **

**Disclaimer: Any situation or character that appears in the drama, isn't mine. If I owned them these two would have been married for years and have children. **

Two months had passed already since that night when they admitted their true feelings for each other and had made love for the first time in her home. They had woken up so refreshed after they had spent the night in each other's arms. They wanted to scream to the whole world how much they loved each other but they decided to keep their relationship a secret for some time as they wanted to spend some time alone without everyone knowing about their relationship. They knew how difficult it was going to be but it was their decision and they would keep it until they were both ready to tell everyone, especially their families, that they were together. She had told him that she had learnt speaking Italian while she was living in Italy for four years and he had told her that he had learnt speaking Spanish while he was living in Spain for five years. They had gone at those countries to gain more experience for their work.

Elsie had told him that her family would be so happy that she had found at last the love of her life and was surprised when he told her the same thing about his family. They had a couple of relationships in the past but they weren't the right persons, they simply weren't the person they were in love with. That day they decided to escape for one day from their work and stayed there at her home holding each other, kissing and making love. They hadn't wanted to go to the office after spending almost two days together but they had to as they had work to do. He had surprised her when everyone had taken their breaks to go for lunch and he had gone to her office with a wide smile on his face. He had started kissing her hungrily as his hands were undressing her very quickly and they ended up making love on her couch in her office without caring if someone would find them.

It was nearing Christmas Day. He could see that she was feeling a little sad and he wanted to know what was troubling her. He had made sure that they would have an early night at his home so they could spend some time together. He had cooked them something simple while she was having a hot shower. He noticed that she wasn't eating as usual and that she wasn't talking to him, she seemed to be somewhere else. He had to do something and only asked her when they were sitting in his living room, holding her in his arms and having a glass of their favourite wine. "Elsie, what's the matter? Please talk to me, my love.", he was making soothing circles on her back while his voice was low, soft and full of concern.

She didn't say anything at the beginning but just got closer to him and took deep breaths. She knew that he would notice her bad mood and he would ask her. She couldn't avoid answering him. "In only three days is Christmas Day. I am so happy to be with you, Charles but I miss my family so much. I haven't seen them since I left Scotland six months ago and I would like to go for the Christmas.", she pulled back from his embrace and looked at him with sadness in her eyes. "You have your family here but my family is in Scotland. Would you mind if I leave tomorrow so I can spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with my family? I will come back the day after Christmas so we can spend together New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.", she was pleading him with her eyes.

He knew at the moment he looked her in the eyes that he was lost and he couldn't deny her a thing. He knew that it was difficult for her to be away from her family and she needed these three days to spend some time with them. They were together only for two months and it would be difficult to be away from her but he had to let her go. "I don't mind at all, love. In fact I am glad that you brought it up as I was a little afraid to ask you in case I would cause your sadness. I will miss you terribly but you need to see them.", he leaned forward and kissed her on the lips while drawing her closer to him.

That night they made love as every night they had spent together the last two months and afterwards slept together in each other's arms. She left early in the morning so she could pack her things and leave early for Scotland. She wasn't feeling very well as she was packing her things or making her way to Scotland but she wasn't going to let it ruin her time with her family. She was so glad to see the smile on her parents' faces and on her grandmother's. She hadn't told them that she would go to visit them so it was a very nice surprise for them. The two women almost immediately understood that something had changed in her life and she had admitted that by telling them about the love of her life, Charles.

**/-00-/**

It was already Christmas Day. She couldn't believe how much her life had changed in the last six months but she didn't know how much her life was going to change very soon. She woke up with a light pain in her stomach but she didn't give it much thought, thinking that it was the change of air and because she was eating foods she hadn't eaten for six whole months. They had gone to church wearing their best clothes. The three women started cooking immediately as they returned from the church while her father had gone to buy some last things they needed for their lunch.

She wanted to speak with her grandmother about the box with the letters and the photograph she had in her home in London but instead she answered every question her mother and grandmother made her about Charles. She admitted to them that she was so happy to have him in her life and how fool she was that she hadn't discovered her true feelings for that man before. She laughed when the two women kept telling her that they wanted to meet him soon. She knew that she wasn't going to introduce him to her family yet because she didn't know if they would be together for the rest of their lives.

After they had finished the cooking, made the table and the man of the family returned home, they sat down to eat their lunch. Malcolm complimented the three women for the delicious lunch and offered to help them with the cleaning. They sat in the living room after finishing everything else to have some family time. Elisabeth was knitting something in a very nice shade of purple, Mary was knitting something in a very nice shade of green and Malcolm was reading a newspaper. Elsie was sitting in the sofa reading a book Charles had bought for her and smiling at her mother and grandmother. She knew perfectly well that the two women were knitting for the babies she was going to have but she was a little afraid of that because she didn't know if she could have children at her age.

She noticed that the pain she had felt when she had woken up in the morning was getting stronger and stronger as the time passed. She was feeling as someone was stabbing a knife in her but she tried to stay calm as she didn't want to alarm her family. The pain hadn't subsided after almost half an hour but was getting even stronger, so she decided to go to her room and lie down for a while in case it would help. "I will go and lie down for a while. Excuse me.", she stood up from the sofa taking her book with her so she could read until she would fall asleep. As she started heading up the stairs she started feeling dizzy and along with a sharp pain made her lose her balance and fell down from the stairs. The only thing she managed to do before losing consciousness was to say Charles' name.

Elisabeth, Malcolm and Mary had heard the weird noise and left the living room immediately to see what had happened. They were very surprised to find her unconscious at the bottom of the stairs. Malcolm went quickly to fetch the car while the two women stayed with Elsie in case she would wake up. In a matter of minutes they took her to the hospital full with concern as to what had caused her to fell down from the stairs.

In the waiting room Elisabeth was trying to calm down her daughter while Malcolm was pacing up and down the corridor as they were waiting for news about Elsie. It was getting the better of them as the time was passing and no one was telling them something about her. As they saw the doctor walking towards them they stood up and waited for him. "How is my daughter, doctor?", Mary asked trying to stay calm as she needed to be strong.

The doctor looked at them with sadness and took a deep breath before telling them the truth. "We tried everything we could to save the baby but we couldn't.", he saw how their faces changed from concern to confusion.

"Elsie was pregnant?", Malcolm asked the doctor very surprised and confused.

"Yes, Mr. Hughes. She was in the second month so I gather that she didn't know that herself.", he looked at the two women and noticed the question they wanted to ask. "She will be able to have children in the future but she will have to stay in bed for her whole pregnancy as her age and a problem she has with her uterus will put the baby, and her life, in danger if she doesn't follow the medical orders.", he answered the unasked question the two women were asking him with their eyes. "You will be able to see her in a while. I will send a nurse to inform you.", he smiled them with sadness and left them.

The two women knew perfectly well what Elsie would feel when she would learn about the miscarriage as they had both experienced a miscarriage. They were sure that she wouldn't want to tell what had happened to Charles, so Mary decided to speak with Charles right away. He was so sad to hear what had happened to her and he wanted so much to go to her but he had to stay in London. Mary reassured him that she would return to London before New Year's Day so they can spend it together.

The rest of the day was spent with the two women comforting and calming down Elsie who was in hysterics when she woke up and learnt about her miscarriage. She didn't want to tell anything to Charles but her mother told her that she had already spoken to him and he was waiting for her to return to London to have her in his arms. That night Elsie slept in the hospital bed in her mother's arms having dreams about the child she had lost hours ago.

**Please review! I would like to know what you think of this chapter!**


	9. Visiting Grandfather

**A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews! They really help me a lot in writing this story! I have a very busy program the last two months as I have more things to do than I had last year. In the previous chapter we had a sad event with Elsie's miscarriage. We are going to learn if they will be able to move one after what happened. I hope you like it. **

**Disclaimer: Any situation or character that appears in the drama, isn't mine.**

Only three days after she had the miscarriage she packed her things and returned to London. In the beginning she didn't want to tell anything to Charles and she would go to her home without telling anyone so she could have some time alone. She was feeling a little better that he knew what happened and she wanted so much to go to him and be in his arms for the rest of their lives. She knew very well that it was better to be together to take comfort and strength from each other so they could leave it behind them at some point. She remembered very well when her mother had the miscarriage when she was twelve years old. She didn't want her husband to touch her or speak to her but Elisabeth had spoken with her and convinced her that it was much better to have her husband with her than be alone.

The two women had told her the same thing the following day when they returned home from the hospital and she had gone immediately to her room. She was missing him very much and wanted nothing else than be in his arms and cry for the baby they lost. The doctor had told her that she would be able to have children but she had to wait a few months to pass before getting pregnant again. She was afraid that she wouldn't be able to get pregnant after what happened and that Charles would push her away for that. She wanted so much to have a child, to have his child inside her but she couldn't stop the fear from overtaking her.

She had gone immediately to his home with her car without stopping to her home to leave her things. She rushed to his home and knocked on his door. The moment he opened the door he found his arms full with a crying Elsie. Slowly he closed the door and walked them towards his sitting room where they sat down in his sofa and gathered her in his arms. He was rubbing soothing circles on her back and rocking her lightly back and forth while she was crying. "Shhhh. My love. I've got you now. We will go through this together.", between his soothing words to her he was placing soft kiss on her hair and forehead.

**/-00-/**

They didn't want to hide their relationship from everyone anymore once they were back to their offices. They hadn't recovered fully from the sad event and they wanted to be able to comfort each other without fearing that someone might see them. It was the first time that they were so very grateful for the inside door that connected their offices as they could go see each other without having to leave their office from the front door and enter the other office.

Every now and then he would go to her office to check on her if she was alright. Every time she had a smile on her face as she watched him or heard him enter her office. He would kiss her on the lips to remind her of his love for her and hold her for a few minutes in his arms. She was taking so much strength and comfort from him and she was so grateful that she had found such a nice man in her life. In the beginning she was afraid that he would push her away because of the miscarriage but he had been at her side from the first second she entered his home. He had done everything she needed him to do and she had found that he was a great help to recover from their loss.

They had been together for three months now. She was sure, after seeing how much he had helped her when she returned to London, that he was the love of her life and the man she was going to spend the rest of her life with. She wanted so much to have his child growing up inside her and then hold it in her arms. She was so afraid that she won't be able to have children despite that the doctor had told her that she would be able to get pregnant again but she would have to stay in bed until the baby would be born. She pushed all these thoughts to the back of her mind and enjoyed his warm embrace.

**/-00-/**

As the days were passing they talked again about their grandparents and how they wanted to learn more about what had happened. They decided to visit his grandfather as they wanted to hear from him the truth about the reason they had separated years ago. Elsie was a little afraid to meet the old man but Charles reassured her that everything was going to be alright and he would be with her.

They were walking very calmly hand in hand until they reached his grandfather's house and she pulled his hand back to stop him. He could see the worry and the fear on her face when he turned around to look at her. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and held her tightly in his embrace. He placed soft kisses on her hair and rubbed soothing circles on her back to calm her down.

She started breathing normally as the second were passing and he kissed her soundly on the lips to show her all his love. They took a deep breath before he knocked on the door. They were a little nervous as they were waiting for someone to open the door. It was Charles' grandfather who opened the door finally and was quite shocked upon seeing Elsie in front of him. "Elisabeth?", his hand went immediately to his heart.

Charles seeing this reaction reached to hold his grandfather immediately and ushered him inside to the armchair. Elsie entered the house quickly to find the kitchen and bring a glass of water for the old man to drink. She knew perfectly well why he was in this state now and it was something she feared from the moment they decided to visit him. She was afraid that he could have a heart attack upon seeing her in front of him as she was looking just like her grandmother.

Charles was helping the older man take deep breaths to calm down when Elsie entered the sitting room with a glass of water in her hands and a sad smile on her face. She handed him the glass and stood still next to Charles. The older man put the glass on the small table next to him after drinking a little and looked at Elsie with wide eyes. "Is that you Elisabeth?", he asked her trying to stay calm as his heart condition wasn't the best the last few years.

Elsie looked at Charles with fear in her eyes and then they looked at the older Charles in front of them. "No!", it was Charles who broke the silence and answered his grandfather's question. "This is Elsie Hughes, grandpa.", he informed him with a wide smile on his face. "She is the granddaughter of Elisabeth Smith.", the two of them watched as the eyes of the older man widened in shock at the mention of Elsie's grandmother.

"You know about Elisabeth and me?", he asked them after the first shock had passed and he had calmed a little.

"Yes, Mr. Carson.", Elsie answered him. "I found a box with the letters you sent to my grandmother and the one photograph with you two.", she informed him and watched how his eyes filled with sadness and the need to be forgiven for letting that woman without a fight.

Charles pulled two chairs so they could sit in front of the older man to talk about his relationship with Elisabeth. "Grandpa, we would like you to tell us the whole story.", Charles told him with his soft voice as he could see how distressed he was right now.

"I will tell you the whole story as it is time for you to learn everything that had happened. You had asked me once about that girl I was in love with in the past, I am still in love with her.", he turned to look at Elsie and smiled at her. "I would like to learn something before I tell you the whole story. Is she alive? Did she have a happy marriage?", he looked hopefully at Elsie waiting to learn about the love of his life.

"She is alive, Mr. Carson. She had a happy marriage with my grandfather but I now know that she never forget you.", she had a sad smile on her face as she locked eyes with the older man.

"I had gone to Scotland for a research I wanted to do to help me when I would go to work at my father's law firm a few years later. It was 14th of February when I met her. I had gone alone to a lake I had found there and I saw her sitting under a tree looking in the distance. It was love from the first sight. We started courting each other until almost two months later we completed our relationship and became one.", a few tears escaped his eyes as he was remembering the two first months of their relationship. "I had received a letter from my mother that she wanted me in London but I didn't know that she had arranged for me to meet a girl. I knew that Elisabeth was the love of my life and I wanted to spend my life with her.", he took a deep breath before he could continue with the story.

"I made sure that my father was alright so I could go back to Scotland to see my darling Elisabeth and continue my research. It was the last time I went to Scotland as I left in the beginning of August and I never went back. Her parents were pressuring her to get married with that Duncan and I had asked her to wait for me. I told my parents all about her but they didn't like it that she was from a different social class. I gave her up without a fight and this is something a regret all my life.", he let a few more tears fall from his eyes and then looked up at the young couple in front of him. "I gather that you have fallen in love with each other and you are together.", he smiled widely at them when they nodded their heads. He was so happy that his grandson had found the love of his life in that woman.

"Grandpa, I did a research and I found that my aunt Bethany was born only seven months in your marriage.", he watched as the older man lowered his head and looked at his hands.

The old Charles didn't know how to answer that question but he knew that his grandson was very smart and would find the truth sooner or later. "Your Aunt Bethany isn't my child, Charles. I would like that very much but the truth is that she isn't my child.", he took a deep breath before he could continue as he knew he had to tell the whole truth now. "Christina had a relationship with a man that was from the same social class Elisabeth was. The same thing happened with her. Her parents didn't want that man so they decided to give her as a wife to me. She was nine months pregnant when she gave birth to Bethany but everyone thought that she was seven months pregnant and we left it as it was. I raised her as my child and along with Christina we told her the truth when she was twenty one years old. We helped her search for her biological father but we found out that he died only a few years after she was born.", he lowered his head in shame and afraid that his grandson wouldn't want to have a relationship with him now that he knew the truth.

As Charles turned to look at Elsie he noticed how pale she was and that she wasn't looking very well. "Elsie, are you alright?", that made the old man look up to see what was happening.

"I am feeling dizzy, Charles.", the dizziness was getting stronger by the seconds that were passing and her breathing was getting heavier and heavier. Charles was at her side immediately to help her but it was too late as he managed to grasp her before she could hit the floor as she lost consciousness.

"Grandpa, please call an ambulance.", he told his grandfather and watched him as he stood up quickly and rushed to the phone.

**/-00-/**

Only half an hour later the two Charlies were in the waiting room waiting to hear news about Elsie. The old Charles watched as his grandson was pacing back and forth in the room very nervous and worried. "Charles, what happened? I know that something had happened.", he could read him very well and knew that something had happened with the couple.

Charles stopped pacing in the room and stood by the window watching outside before he could answer his grandfather. "Elsie had a miscarriage on Christmas Day. She had gone to visit her family in Scotland as she hadn't seen them for six months.", he managed to tell him before he could break down in front of his grandfather.

The older man understood very well what the younger man was feeling at the moment as he had gone through the same thing when Christina had a miscarriage two years after their son Edward was born. They quickly approached the doctor when they saw him entering the room. "How is Elsie, doctor?", Charles asked very worried.

"It isn't something serious. She is just a little weak from the miscarriage she had almost a month ago. I gather that she hasn't rested well enough.", he suspicions were confirmed with a short nod from Charles. "She is going to be alright but she has to stay in bed rest for a week and then she has to take things slowly for a month before she can return to her full routine.", he smiled reassuringly and left the room promising to inform them when they could go and see her.

Charles spent the night in the hospital with Elsie sleeping in his arms while his grandfather was waiting outside and remembering everything he had lived with Elisabeth all those years ago. He was hoping that he could see her one more time before he would die.

**Please, please review! I would like to know what you think of this chapter!**

**To Be Continued…**


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